12:12 Tune of the Day: Holy Holy Holy Moses – Alec Ounsworth
Posted By Ben W. on November 12, 2009
We looked at new material from Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas Monday. So let’s keep that theme going — what happens when one of the decade’s best bands goes on hiatus?
Today’s case study: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Alec Ounsworth.
Even more than Casablancas and The Strokes, Ounsworth dominated the CYHSY creative process. From what I understand, he basically demoed the songs, often with complete arrangements already sketched out, and the band filled in the gaps. It would make sense then that his solo work would follow in the same vein as his previous band.
The twist with Mo Beauty — his new solo album — is that he left his East Coast comfort zone and recorded it in New Orleans with a bunch of old Louisiana musicians he had just met. So I’m not quite sure what to expect.
This new single doesn’t offer any definitive directions, but we do get a few clues.
Not surprisingly, Ounsworth still is writing beautiful songs. The melody here is slow and stately; really nice. And his voice still warbles and wails like a bird fighting a sinus infection. An acquired taste perhaps, but I guess I like flu-ridden birds (bird flu! ha!) because I really enjoy his voice.
It’s not a total David Byrne ripoff anymore though. His vocals on this track are a little more ragged than on the Clap Your Hands material, giving the song a bit more grit. I like it.
And maybe it’s all the “Holy Holy Holy” on the lyric sheet, but this song seems to have a far more spiritual quality to it than the previous CYHSY material. It doesn’t feel like Brooklyn hipster. Not at all.
It sounds like it was made in New Orleans. I’m hoping that’s a characteristic consistent with the whole album.
What am I doing typing? I really need to go out and get this album! I’m excited now! Great song.
We celebrate a 12:12 Tune of the Day at almostfourstars every Monday through Friday at precisely 12:12 p.m. To browse and listen to a complete list of past 12:12 Tuners, please click here.
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I wish I could hear this song while at work!